


In The Arms of an Angel

by TheSadisticMunchkin



Series: 30 days of AUs you never thought you needed challenge [22]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: 30 Days of Writing, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Castiel & Charlie Bradbury Friendship, Castiel in the Bunker, Charlie in the Bunker, Chick-Flick Moments, Dean is Bad at Feelings, Dean is a Little Shit, Dean is a Softie, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I think I wrote an Episode, M/M, Sam Is Scarred For Life, Season/Series 10 Spoilers, Spoilers, but not really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-22
Updated: 2015-04-22
Packaged: 2018-03-25 03:33:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3795106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSadisticMunchkin/pseuds/TheSadisticMunchkin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was 3 months later that Cas decided that he didn’t want to pretend anymore.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In The Arms of an Angel

**Author's Note:**

> What is this?
> 
> An actual fic
> 
> That follows *gasps* DIRECTLY AFTER CANON???!?!!?!
> 
> What have I become?

           There was a case in Illinois with a cult of witches that suspiciously got rich in under a month. Around the same time that the leader got the promotion as the CEO of a wealthy company, there were 3 deaths. With the employees in jail for suspected murder, the cult was able to move up in positions rather quickly.

 

            With the Mark of Cain significantly pushed to the back of Dean’s mind, he was ready to work another good case. He practically begged Sam for them to check it out. He was awfully quiet most days, probably still worrying about the mark, so who could blame him for wanting to bring his brother out in the world for some good old witch whacking. “C’mon Sam! We got to at least check it out. I mean, please tell me this doesn’t sound like our thing?”

 

            “Oh it’s definitely our thing Dean but you know we can just call someone else for this? We still have to do more research.” Dean rubbed his face in one quick swipe before he brought a chair around to sit on it. “We can afford one week of delay, man. This entire thing smells like witch to me.” With that statement, in walked the former angel of the Lord wearing nothing but boxers and a cup of tea in his hands.

 

            Both brothers’ eyes widened significantly and Dean tried to speak but all that came out was a puff of air. “Um Cas? Why don’t you have any clothes on?” Sam saved him from embarrassing himself but he was clearly avoiding bringing his eyes down south. “Charlie decided that my clothes were too dirty and I tried to explain to her that I could clean them myself but…” He just decided to gesture to his half naked state and the brothers didn’t need any more explaining.

 

            “She’s a very persuasive person.” Castiel finished, sitting down a few seats away from Dean. “Do you have any leads on the Mark?” he asked, tilting his head at the open laptop placed in front of Sam. Dean blinked several times and coughed to clear his throat before he was able to speak properly. “N-No! This is just a regular case that Sam doesn’t want to do.” He glared at his brother for good measure but he only avoided his eyes.

 

            Something was very off with Sam but Cas seemed to take an interest in the articles, which meant Dean probably had someone on his side. “What do you think, Cas? Want to come with?” If Sam didn’t want to help him then having an angel by his side would make the job a whole lot faster. Maybe it could be a bit fun too. “This does sound like witch behavior. The deaths make it obvious.” At that point, Cas decided to stand up and _oh God why did he look?_

“I will go check if Charlie has finished with the laundry. Will I meet you in the car, Dean?” Dean could have screamed for joy that he got to get out of the bunker for some witch hunting. He nodded once in agreement to Cas and the angel looked at the brothers one more time before he jogged out of the room to find Charlie. “You’ll be fine here? We could make this a family hunt.”

 

            Sam chuckled under his breath, closing the laptop and sliding it back to Dean. “Thanks but no thanks. Charlie and I will keep each other company.” Dean decided not to push his brother any further so he threw his hands up in surrender before he went to his room to gather whatever he needed.

 

            When he was leaning against the hood of his baby, Cas walked out thankfully clothed from head to toe. Dean spotted that he just hastily hung his tie along his collar instead of tying it and he had to hide a chuckle. “Here, let me.” Dean gestured for him to come closer so that he could properly tie the angel’s tie. Cas didn’t want to tell him that he was perfectly capable to tie it himself not when Dean was so content these days. So he just let him do it while he stared at Dean.

 

            “And… there! All fixed up, buddy.” He pressed his right palm downwards against Cas’ chest to flatten the tie a bit before he looked up at the angel with a smile. “Let’s go?” Cas nodded once and before they knew it, they were pulling up into a gas station outside of Missouri to stock up on gas and snacks for the road. “It’s going to take about 4 hours from here to Illinois. You research anything on the witches in the company while I get some grub.”

 

            Cas wasn’t able to answer him for Dean was already walking towards the convenience store. Cas reached into the backseat for Dean’s laptop bag, placed the aforementioned device on his lap and started researching. After a few minutes of clicking through articles and police files, Dean came back with a plastic bag in hand. “Anything good?”

 

            “Actually yes. It seems that the employees were suspected for murdering their significant others. Witnesses say that they just “went crazy but couldn’t remember a thing after they’ve done it.” That doesn’t sound good.” Cas said, closing the laptop when Dean started the car.

 

            “It sounds witchy to me. What did it say about the relationships? Healthy? Abusive?”

 

            “They were fairly healthy relationships but I could be wrong.”

 

            “Well that’s where we come in.” Dean said giving Cas a little smirk before he drove off to Illinois. Cas was lost in his thoughts as Dean blared Led Zeppelin through the speakers. He always found himself watching the man beside him heartily singing along to whatever song came out, playing on invisible drums or tapping the steering wheel to the beat. Cas found this oddly endearing yet he was still worried for his friend. He hasn’t seen Dean this happy for a long time.

 

            He couldn’t stop thinking about the employees though. The deaths happened over a month ago so they couldn’t exactly pose as Federal Agents or they would get too suspicious. All of the deaths also only happened in a span of a week and the only suspects they think they have are in jail so the police might have stopped thinking about it. Cas was having a weird feeling about this entire thing and he couldn’t figure out what it was.

 

            “Dean? What do you plan on doing with this case? We know who the members of the cult are but how will we get close enough without being too suspicious?” Dean turned the radio off at that statement, pondering on the questions. Feds aren’t an option and breaking in would get them arrested. Then he thought back to what Cas said about the employees and their significant others and suddenly he had an idea.

 

            “What nickname do you like?”

 

            “You already gave me a nickname, Dean.”

 

            “No, no, no… As in an endearing nickname! Babe, sweetie, the like.”

 

            Cas tilted his head in confusion because he honestly had no idea what Dean was talking about. Why would he want a particular term of endearment? He voiced his concerns to Dean at that and the hunter could only chuckle in response. “Think about it, Cas. The witches could have chosen anyone to be murdered but instead they had the employees murder the one they loved the most. Maybe it’s a lazy decision but…”

 

            “We could use it for our advantage if we pretend to be lovers.” Cas finished his sentence for him and Dean was glad that he wasn’t drinking anything right now or he definitely would have spit it out. (Or choked) “Uh yup. That’s what I was thinking.” The angel nodded beside him, considering the plan before looking back at Dean. “Well, you call your car _baby_. I don’t think I want to share a name with a vehicle.”

 

            Dean could only laugh at Cas’ confused face after that.

* * *

            After two days, Dean faked an application form and resume expertly to get a secretarial job at the company. He let Cas pick out the name for him and it took him a few minutes to convince him that  _Dick Gumshoe_ or  _Don Quixote_ cannot be used for his application. They finally settled on James Cagney because Cas enjoyed the film  _Angels with Dirty Faces_ when it was showing on TV.

 

            It was Cas’ turn to do Dean’s tie this time and Dean didn’t have the heart to complain. Cas was taking this ‘playing house’ thing really well and Dean smiled when he finally finished with his tie. “There you go Dean. Good luck on the ‘interview’ today.” Cas’ use of air quotes got Dean chuckling softly. Dean looked around the parking lot, watching boring business people walking into the building before looking back at Cas.

 

            “I hope this works.” He whispered before he took Cas’ hand in his own and walked to the entrance of the building. After he got a visitor’s ID for him and Cas, the receptionist gestured for them to take a seat while she called for the CEO. “When I go in for the interview, you start looking for hex bags but don’t be too obvious about it okay?” He whispered to Cas, scooting closer when a few businessmen passed by.

 

            “James Cagney? Ms. Parker will see you now.” Dean looked at Cas and gave him a kiss on the lips to keep up the act. “I’ll see you later, angel.” He said before squeezing his hand for mock-comfort and following the receptionist to Ms. Parker’s office. Cas sat still in his seat for 2 minutes, absentmindedly stroking the lips that Dean kissed momentarily. He snapped out of his thoughts soon enough, standing up to look for those hex bags.

 

            This was only for a case anyway.

* * *

 

            Needless to say, the case was a success. Dean was able to get the job and his hunch was right when Ms. Parker herself kidnapped him only two days later. Apparently one of the witches in the coven still hasn’t gotten a promotion yet and she thought it was tacky to use the spells on themselves. So she opened up the secretary job in hopes of finding their next target.

 

            Cas and Dean’s act of pretending to be hopelessly in love with each other tricked the witches just like they planned. Cas was able to catch the witch putting a hex bag in Dean’s pocket and they destroyed it before Ms. Parker was able to hypnotize him into killing ‘the love of his life’. Charlie could not get over their little adventure when they told her and Sam over dinner.

 

            Over the course of 2 months, Dean kept finding odd cases where they could use the same act of pretending to be in love with each other. He was pleasantly surprised at how convincing they were at it so he asked Cas to do it whenever they needed to. Cas could never deny Dean of anything so he played along, kissing Dean in public, holding hands and all the other couple-y stuff that tricked so many people.

 

            It was 3 months later that Cas decided that he didn’t want to pretend anymore.

           

            Maybe during the times that Dean pulled Cas towards him for a tender kiss to throw anyone off guard, Cas may have wanted to pretend they were real. During the times that Dean would give him little gifts or flowers in public so he can detect the suspect, Cas may have pretended that he bought those things for him because he wanted to. Cas hated pretending that he was Dean’s only to be given a pat on the arm for a good job instead of a kiss goodnight.

 

            It was driving him crazy.

 

            So with a newfound determination, he knocked on Dean’s bedroom door in the bunker. He was going to talk to Dean. He didn’t want to just pretend to be in love with Dean in public, he wanted everyone to know. He fell in love with the hunter the moment he touched his righteous soul in hell. Only now that he was being denied what he finally wanted, that he realized. He was in love with Dean.

 

            When Dean opened the door to let him in, he found his confidence slowly deflating with each second. “Hey buddy, what’s on your mind?” Cas turned around to see Dean leaning against the now closed door with his arms crossed. “Dean I—“ Cas took a deep breath, determined not to screw this up, before taking a step towards Dean.

 

            “Dean I don’t like what we’re doing.” He said it. He finally said it and oh maybe he should have clarified it because Dean was looking at him all confused. “What do you mean?” The hunter also took a step closer to the angel, forcing Cas to get whatever it was in his mind to just come out of his mouth. “I don’t like that we pretend to be in love when we’re working cases, Dean.”

 

            Dean raised an eyebrow at that, uncrossing his arms and placing them at his sides. “Are you uncomfortable with it, Cas? We could stop if you—“ But Cas interrupted him before he could say any more.

 

            “It is because I am not pretending anymore.”

 

            Dean was stunned silent at Cas’ confession and the angel was starting to regret ever saying it to him. If worse comes to worst, he could always erase Dean’s memories that this ever happened. He could bear being Dean’s fake lover more than being rejected forever. Cas continued to stand there for what he felt was like hours until Dean decided to speak again.

 

            “I wasn’t pretending anymore either after the third case.” Cas opened his mouth in shock, closing it quickly as Dean walked closer to him. “You know me, Cas. I ain’t good with feelings so this was the closest thing.” Cas noticed that Dean was contemplating taking his hands when they were closer than ever. So Cas decided to make the first move and take Dean’s hands in his own. Suddenly Dean’s posture was more relaxed.

 

            “I’m sorry I made you think that way, Cas. I’m stupid when it comes to things like this and I don’t know, Cas. You’re special. You’re my best friend but after a few months of pretending to be yours… I don’t want that anymore. I want…” Dean took a deep breath and Cas held his before Dean looked at him straight in the eyes.

 

            “I want _you_. I want _us_. Do you want that too?” Oh God does Cas want it. Cas has wanted it for years. Instead of answering him verbally, he grabbed the sides of Dean’s face and stroked the freckled cheeks softly. “I want us too. I _definitely_ want us.” Dean always said he wasn’t a fan of chick flick moments but, hell, he would have a million chick flick moments with Cas if they all felt this good, this _right._

 

            Dean smiled at him, that small smile that he started unconsciously reserving only for the angel in front of him and grabbed Cas’ hands. He placed them on his shoulders, soon taking Cas’ face in between his calloused hands kissing him tenderly. Dean has kissed Cas this way a hundred times but this was the only time that he did it in privacy. This was the first time he kissed him when it was only them and Cas loves every second of it.

 

            He didn’t know when his coat fell to the floor or when Dean started touching him in ways he would never do in public but he soon found himself lying on Dean’s bed, naked and beside the hunter. The next day, Sam found them in that exact same position and Cas heard him run to Charlie’s room a millisecond after.

**Author's Note:**

> Tbh this was cute


End file.
